Requirements and Limitations

The following requirements and limitations apply to all utilities using Bill Advisor.

  • General CSI Requirements: See the Oracle Utilities Opower Customer Service Interface - Program Management Product Overview for details about the CSI data requirements and limitations that are not specific to the Bill Advisor tab.
  • Billing Frequency: Monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly billing cycles are required.
  • Data Requirements: Customer energy use and billing data is required. Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) data is optional. AMI data can be used to enable features that work with daily and subdaily energy use data.
  • Data Delivery Frequency: Daily delivery of data is preferred. Weekly delivery of data is acceptable.
  • Data History: At least 13 months of data is highly preferred for optimal use of Bill Advisor features.
  • Fuel Types: Gas, electric, and dual fuel.
  • Billed Usage Charges versus Total Bills: The bill amounts displayed in Bill Advisor are dependent on which charges the utility includes in their existing billing data feed to Oracle Utilities. Most utilities only provide base and usage charges. In these cases, taxes, fees, and other charges are not included in the bill totals displayed in Bill Advisor.
  • Web Browser Support: The customer must use a supported web or mobile browser. Oracle Utilities Web products adhere to the Oracle Software Web Browser Support Policy.
  • Single Sign-On (SSO) Integration: SSO integration and deep-linking between the utility call center's Customer Information System and the Oracle Utilities Opower system is recommended, but not required. SSO integration reduces the number of clicks and logins required to access Bill Advisor functionality and therefore increases the efficacy of the product. If the utility chooses not to use SSO integration, then CSRs will need to log in to the tool using the existing, standalone CSI authentication.
  • Training: A separate training provided by Oracle Utilities is required for all CSRs using Bill Advisor. This training differs from the existing training sessions on how to use the Program Management section of the CSI.